Friday, April 17, 2026. Just before evening. A call went out from a home on Sproles Drive in Benbrook, Texas. Someone had been shot in the face. Accidentally, the caller said. Officers arrived to find 42 year old Lindsay Velasquez unconscious. She worked as an assistant principal for Fort Worth ISD. Medics rushed her to Harris Methodist Hospital. She did not survive.
The person who made the call was her husband, Alberto Velasquez. He was 39. He also worked for the same school district, teaching social studies. He told investigators the shooting was not intentional. But after looking at the scene and gathering initial evidence, police arrested him anyway. The charge was manslaughter, a second degree felony in Texas.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed the cause: a gunshot wound to the head. What happened in the minutes before the trigger was pulled remains unclear. Police have not released a detailed timeline. The 911 call described an accident, but prosecutors have chosen to move forward with a charge that implies recklessness or criminal negligence rather than deliberate intent.
Alberto Velasquez did not stay in jail for long. Court records show he posted bond. The amount was reportedly $35,000. Through his attorney, he has declined to speak publicly. His teaching certification is now under review by the Texas Education Agency’s Educator Investigations Division.
Lindsay Velasquez was in her second year as assistant principal at Luella Merrett Elementary School. The school’s website described her as someone who brought positive energy to the campus. Colleagues said she worked hard for families, teachers, and students. Fort Worth ISD issued a brief statement expressing sadness and offering counselors to students and staff.
A GoFundMe page set up for the family says Lindsay leaves behind three daughters. The page describes her as a devoted mother whose children were the center of her world. The case is now moving through the judicial system. Court filings and future hearings will likely reveal more about what happened inside the Sproles Drive home. For now, a school community mourns an educator, and a husband awaits his day in court.